


Passion; Belonging

by Zoi no miko (zoi_no_miko)



Category: Dark City (1998)
Genre: Angst, Drabble, F/M, Infidelity, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-01
Updated: 2013-12-01
Packaged: 2018-01-03 03:33:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1065264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoi_no_miko/pseuds/Zoi%20no%20miko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anna isn't as clueless as she lets him believe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Passion; Belonging

**Author's Note:**

> For FF100 prompt: Belonging

Anna knows what he can do, even though he doesn't think she does. But she's not stupid. Everything is always too convenient around John, which is suspicious enough to begin with. Perfect weather, perfect house, perfect food waiting for her when she arrives to see him. And he never lets her do the dishes. There's little things too, like pulling coins from his pocket to pay for an ice cream when she knows, from having her hand on his thigh, that the pocket had been empty.

She's beginning to remember things, too. Strange things, strange memories where it's always dark. One is so strong she is almost distracted by it when it comes to mind - John in front of her in handcuffs, phone in hand, separated from her by glass. She's crying, and he sets down the phone and reaches through the glass to comfort her, the pane shattering just from the slightest brush of his fingers. Like he's willed it to break.

It confuses her, and she tries not to think about the whats, hows, and whys too often, because when she does, things get fuzzy; things don't feel real. But John feels real - warm and solid with his arm around her waist, and she hopes that someday he will trust her enough to explain it to her.

As weeks turn into months, however, she begins to think that he never will. He's still just as kind to her, but he begins to seem more and more distracted when they are together. He comes into the city with her when she goes to work, walking her to the cinema and picking her up when her shift is over, but he never tells her where he goes, how he spends his time, and in her mind she begins to suspect the worst.

Anna follows him one night, sneaking away from the theatre, follows him swiftly and silently through the darkened streets. She's worn a dark coat and keeps to the shadows, but he walks quickly, purposefully, and doesn't even turn let alone notice her. When he turns to go into an office building, she follows more carefully, taking a moment to read the gold plaque by the door. She spots the familiar name etched neatly that says "Dr. Daniel P. Schreber - Psychiatrist", and feels a warm relief. It's too late for treatment, of course, so this only proves that John's story is true - he comes into the city to see a friend, nothing more.

Still, she follows. She's not sure why, perhaps she needs to see it for herself to make sure there's no woman waiting here for him. But what she sees when she peaks around the corner is so far from what she expected or feared, and yet so much worse that she freezes, her mind unable to process it.

Daniel Schreber is there - the handsome blonde man with the bright blue eyes that she's met a few times and liked a little more than she should, truth told. But he's been pressed up against the wall by John, who stands intimately near to him, his body close against the doctor's, and they clearly only have eyes for each other. Their voices are a soft murmur that she can't make out, but she sees John laugh softly, beautifully, sees the doctor blush - men aren't supposed to blush! - and lower his head. John's fingers move to cup his cheek, gently, tenderly, and there's no way now to mistake what this is as he guides his face up for a warm, yearning kiss.

The passion of it astounds her and sickens her at the same time, though she can't stop staring at the way John kisses him. He's kissing another man, deep and needy and yearning and breathless, arms tight around Daniel's waist and Daniel's around his shoulders, fingers tangling in the back of John's coat. John has always kissed her carefully - warm and sweet and tender, like a gentleman, and she can't help but think now that it is because his passion already belongs to the one that he's kissing now.

Anna forces herself to turn away, to leave quickly, silently, heart pounding and her world broken.

~~~~~


End file.
